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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “waypoints”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “waypoints”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Spotmap shows at wp.org #13 but places #22 on merit, a gap of 9 places. Its 50+ installs carry it up the search order; its 4.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier ) places #5 on merit, 4.7★ from 250 reviews, but shows at wp.org #23. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 GPX Route Map 100+ · 5.0★ (3) wp.org #1 2 WP GPX Maps 4K+ · 4.1★ (59) wp.org #4 2 too low 3 Leaflet Maps Marker (Google Maps, OpenStreetMap, Bing Maps) 9K+ · 4.6★ (244) wp.org #9 ↓1 6 too low 4 VenoMaps – OpenStreetMap & Privacy-Friendly Geo Maps 400+ · 4.2★ (5) wp.org #3 1 too high 5 Image Hover Effects Ultimate ( Image Gallery, Effects, Lightbox, Comparison & Magnifier ) 10K+ · 4.7★ (250) wp.org #23 ↓2 18 too low 6 Easy Google Maps by Supsystic – Custom Markers, Clustering & Map Themes 20K+ · 4.6★ (251) wp.org #22 ↓3 16 too low 7 R Rescue Shortcodes 1K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #2 5 too high 8 Genesis Simple Share 10K+ · 4.4★ (33) wp.org #20 ↓2 12 too low 9 Waypoints: Trip Planner — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #6 ↓1 3 too high 10 H HD Weather Widget by The Waypoint 10+ · 3.5★ (4) wp.org #7 ↓1 3 too high 11 Waypoint SEO Content Generator 10+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #5 ↓1 6 too high 12 Waypoint Royalty Free Image Generator 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #8 ↓1 4 too high 13 IS-Google Maps Lite 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #10 ↓1 3 too high 14 Mapthread 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #12 ↓2 2 too high 15 GTL Maps — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #14 ↓2 1 too high 16 WPMozo Blocks and Addons 80+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #11 5 too high 17 Boat Position — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #15 ↓2 2 too high 18 SublimeTheme – Advanced Addons for Elementor — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #17 ↓2 1 too high 19 Tour Itinerary Map — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #18 ↓2 1 too high 20 Give Directions — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #19 ↓2 1 too high 21 Route Finder — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↓1 22 Spotmap 50+ · 4.0★ (1) wp.org #13 ↓2 9 too high 23 Journity Installer 10+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #16 ↓2 7 too high 24 Mega Elements – Addons for Elementor 10K+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #24 ↓2

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.